What Happens in Vegas
by Sean P. O'Farrel
Summary: When Farren returns to take over the world again,will the gang be able to stop him?
1. Chapter 1:Disaster in 'Frisco

_**Chapter 1:Disaster in San Francisco.**_

_**A/N Hello, again! I have returned for another story in this exciting trilogy! Thanks for reading, and please review. Or not, I really don't care, but the reviews are nice...**_

Charlie, Sasha, Itchy, and Bess were walking down the street, enjoying a sunny, Sunday morning in San Fransisco. Suddenly a black shape raced by, knocking over Charlie as it smacked into him."Sorry!"It called back, before racing away and vanishing.

"What was that all about?"Charlie said."I don't know. "Said a voice from above.

They all looked up to see Sean on the roof right above them."How long have you been following us?"Charlie said, growling."All day, actually "Sean said as he floated down.

"Why?"Sasha asked as he landed."I don't know."Sean said mysteriously."Well, let's go. We should enjoy our day off while we can."Charlie said, and they all began walking once more.

********************

By the time they got back to Charlie and Sasha's house, it was evening."Good night, everyone "said Sean, and he launched into the air.

"I will never get used to that."Charlie said, shaking his head. They all bid one another good night and set off for home, confident that nothing bad would happen. If only they had known...

********************

Sean was flying over the streets of the city, making sure everything was safe before going to bed. Suddenly he heard a loud scream._ That sounded like Sasha!_ He thought and angled toward the abandoned apartment building.

He arrived five minutes later and smashed through the window into the sparsely decorated living room."Hello?"He called out. No one answered. He walked through the door into the kitchen...and gasped.

The kitchen was completely wrecked. The drawers and their contents were strewn across the floor, as were the cabinets contents were thrown everywhere. The oven and fridge were destroyed, and the table was in pieces. Sean rushed through to the dining room, where the chaos was too horrible to describe. He then raced to the bedroom, where he found less destruction then the other rooms had contained...but what he did find was worse than the other rooms put together.

Sasha and Charlie were on the floor, surrounded by blood. Sean couldn't tell if they were still alive, but that didn't matter. He smashed the window in the bedroom and grabbed both of them, then launched out the window.

He extended his wings once he was through and flapped hard and strong, stopping himself from hitting the ground...too hard.

"Ugh!"He said as he slammed into the ground. He stood up, shook himself, and picked up Charlie and Sasha before launching into the air once more. He then made his way to the only vet he knew he could go to in town without raising too many suspicions: his surgery room. 


	2. Chapter 2:To Skin a Cat

_**Chapter 2: To Skin A Cat.**_

_**A/N: No, I don't own any of the ADGTH cast. If you think I do, then I got a great deal on some ocean front property in Arizona….Hahaha!**_

Sean's ER, or surgery room, as everyone called it, seeing as he only took surgery patients in there, was so sterile you could actually eat inside it...although, of course, it wasn't advisable, seeing as it _was_ an ER.

"We have an emergency! I need the ER prepped, stat!"he said to the female nurse (who was also a dog) that was on duty."Right, Dr.O'Farrel!"she barked, surprised, then rushed off.

Sean put Charlie and Sasha on gurneys and waited nervously for more doctors and nurses to arrive. Finally, several of the hospital staff rushed into the room. They grabbed the gurneys and rushed into the ER.

*******************************

About an hour later, Itchy arrived at the San Francisco Dog General Hospital, the only place strays could go without being captured by the dog catcher. It had an all dog staff and was owned, apperantly, by Sean. Itchy rushed inside.

"I just got your message! What happened?"he said to Sean, who was in the waiting room, pacing. "I don't know!"he snapped. Just then, Brenna burst in, carrying Bess, who had fainted.

"I just found her. She was over at their house, out cold. I sent a team to look around, but..."she hesitated.

"Yeah, I know. They probably won't find anything."Sean said sadly. He glanced at the confused face of Itchy."These guys were pros, Itchy. They probably we supposed to kill me tomorrow night, but got the wrong address. I was supposed to be over there for dinner tomorrow night. Seems like that's canceled now, huh?"he laughed at his own joke.

"There's nothing funny about this, I know, but I joke when I'm stressed, and right now, I'm seriously stressed!"Sean said, nervously laughing.

********************  
>Melowaur dropped the body of the demon that had tried to sneak up on him and spun around to face the others. He smiled evilly and said, "Come on, who's next?"<p>

The 5 demons surrounding him seemed nervous at having an opponent who wasn't afraid of them, but this comment made them all furious. They all lunged for Melowaur at the same time.

Melowaur dodged all of the attacks, stabbing a few of them through the heart before spinning and lunging, killing the others quickly.

He surveyed the rest of the apartment in front of him, checking for any more demons. He then turned the remains of what had once been a fridge."You can come out now, sir."

Sean materialized from the shadows behind the fridge. He grinned."Nice job, although why you didn't see _that_, I'll never know."Melowaur looked to where Sean had indicated to see 5 more demons who would have killed him during the fight...had their throats not been ripped out.

"Thank you, sir."Melowaur stammered, surprised. He hadn't heard the demons creeping up on him.

"You need to watch you back, Melowaur. Come on; let's go see how your partner is doing."Sean led the way towards the door to the bedroom of the apartment, seeming to float on the air.

Delaun was surrounded by demons. He smiled as they lunged to try and kill him, dodging and weaving to stab those who tried to kill him, then danced away from the wall of demons to stand in the corner once more.

"Come on! Is that all you've got?"He laughed and dodged once more, as another demon howled with rage and rushed at him. Delaun slit his throat with a dagger as he passed.

"Delaun! Stop messing around and kill them already!"Sean called, chuckling. Delaun shrugged and ran at the wall of demons, stopping at the last minute and sliding under the spear thrusts they threw, and then started to stab and strike at them before they could retaliate.

"There. So, whats up?"Delaun said, grinning.

"First of all, what did you find?"Sean said, turning serious.

"Just a few indicators as to who might have done this...and this cleanup crew who came to..._dispose_ of the evidence."Melowaur said.

"Well, why not pay these would-be killers a visit?"said Sean, smiling slyly."You know what to do."With that, he vanished back into the shadows.

"Not much of a talker, is he?"Delaun said, laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 4:Shadowy Companions**_

_The limping demon staggered through the corridor, smashing things and leaving a trail of blood across the floor behind him. He found the door he needed, and crashed through,_

_"Sir, w-we found the dog you told us to. A large black one, with a heart-diamond pattern. We-we attacked him...It was like nothing I've ever seen! There were 50 of us, and he just...we didn't stand a chance. I just made it back to r-r-r-r-r-report..."The demon fell to the floor and took one last, shuddering breathe, then was still._

_"Failure...We will have to get those other dogs to kill him...those 'expert' killers."_

*******************************************************

Sean smiled and spat blood of the demons from his mouth. _Who keeps sending me these newbies? They should know that these untrained idiots stand no match against me._

************************************************

Melowaur and Delaun walked up to the desk in the front room of the old abandoned warehouse."We're here to see Mr. Seroway, if he's in."Delaun said, his award-winning, lady killer of a smile flashing across his face.

"Do you have an appointment?"said the female secretary. She barely glanced at them before saying, "No, you don't. I suppose that means its official business."She pressed a button on the intercom and said," Mr. Seroway, two dogs here to see you!", then waved the pair off down the hall and continued with her work.

"Well, that was easy." said Delaun, laughing, as they walked down the corridor.  
>They stopped at a large, oak door that said," Mr. Seroway."The job description had been scratched off. The pair knocked and walked inside.<p>

The inside of the room was furnished with fine carpets, a large bookcase, several books, a flat screen TV, a large mahogany desk, and two large armchairs. Delaun and Melowaur walked in and sat in these.

Mr. Seroway was, apparently, a very fat cat. He turned the chair around slowly and examined the two dogs before him before leaning forward, placing his elbows on the desk and his head on his paws.

"What can I do for you?"he purred in a heavy Russian accent."We're here about a hit that went down last night on a couple of our friends."Melowaur said in perfect Russian.

"We want to know who paid for it, how much they paid, and how much information they gave you."Delaun said, also in perfect Russian. Seroway was surprised, shocked, and even a little angry.

"That is none of your business!"Seroway purred, still in accented English."Oh, I believe it is..."Delaun put a large briefcase on the table and opened it, revealing several stacks of hundred dollar bills, all stacked neatly.

Seroway's eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself."Ah, so you are, shall we say,_ assosciates_ of these people?"Seroway asked, winking.

"Exactly," said Melowaur, switching back to English. They both sat back quietly as Seroway proceeded to describe the dogs who had paid him and his hit men $10 million to kill all the dogs in Charlie and Sasha's apartment, then another $30 million to kill a black dog with a heart-diamond pattern on his chest that very morning.

The two dogs left 30 minutes later, after Seroway had finished the story."Boss! You got a crack team of killers headed your way!"Melowaur said into his walkie talkie. He listened for a few minutes, then said, "No response."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4:Big Trouble Downtown.**_

While Melowaur and Delaun were questioning Mr. Seroway, Sean had been taking a stroll. Every now and then, he'd see a flash of light from a building or alley, but he simply ignored it and walked on.

As soon as the ground in front of him puffed up with dust, he knew that had been a mistake.

He dodged from the sniper's next shot, using this as a reference point to locate the sniper. He then rolled into an alleyway that blocked him from the shooter. He then took out a pistol he'd been carrying. He knew it wasn't possible to hit the sniper from here, but...

Sean smiled as he faded into the shadows.

*************************  
>Sean appeared in the same room as the sniper occupied, in the old abandoned hotel that he had been shooting from.<p>

"Where did you go...?"muttered the dog as he used his scope to search for Sean. Sean crept up behind him and put the pistol to his head, saying, "You looking for me?"

The sniper must have been well trained, because he didn't scream. He just dropped the rifle, and put up his paws.

"Ya got me. How ya did it, I'll never know, but ya did." the dog said, smiling. Sean knocked him out with the butt of the pistol. He knew others would be nearby, but he didn't know where they would be. He picked up the rifle and a walkie talkie that he assumed belonged to the dog.

"Are all of you in position?"he said into the walkie talkie. He then picked off the dogs as they reported in as to their positions.

************************  
>Brenna sighed as she began to pace the room. <em>When should I tell him? <em>_**How **__should I tell him? _She stopped pacing and sighed once more. Then she climbed the stairs to her room.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: The Game Begins.**_

Sean stepped out of the shadows of the old abandoned building.

"I was beginning to worry, brother. I thought you'd been killed. That would make this game a lot less fun to play."Farren swooped down from the ceiling, his large wings slowing his descent."Now that your here...shall we?"

A table appeared in the center of the room. To most, it would appear to be a regular game table, complete with boards for every game in the known universe...except one.

"Let's get this over with."Sean snarled, and he lifted his paw into the air. The top of the table shot upland Sean moved it over to the wall.

The inside of the table contained the missing board: an old fashioned game, older even then the universe itself. It could be any type of board; from checkers to tic-tac-toe, and was attached to the table securely. No one would be able to take it off. The board was already on the intended game: a game known as War, which the table was originally designed for. Not the war played with cards, though.

"I believe I should tell you, before you leave, to talk to your girlfriend. She's hiding something from you."Farren said to Sean, just as disappeared into the shadows.

Suddenly, on the board, which had become a map of the United States, there appeared several figures, some made of shadow, some of light, and some of fire. The fire figures were all over the northeastern and western parts of the U, S., except for a small pocket of shadow and light in San Fransisco, Shadow figures covered the Midwestern part, and light figures covered what was left.

Farren smiled._ Let the game begin!_

****************************  
>"I hear your leaving."<p>

Brenna's swords were thrown across the room before she could attack Sean, who had appeared right behind her."I-I didn't want to tell you. I knew how you'd react."Brenna said, standing her ground.

"Why?"Sean asked, snarling. He had just found her. He didn't want to lose her again.

"I told you, I can't stay here forever! I have heavenly duties! I can't be here all the time!"Brenna yelled at Sean. But she wouldn't let it stop there."After all-in did diesis earned my position as arch angel! I was hoping that, when I became one could come back for you! But I couldn't, and then I get the chance to, only to find that you could have visited me anytime you wanted! After you lost your chance to save maxi couldn't believe it!"She stopped, and hung her head. She had released the feelings she had kept for several years, adding onto them every year...and she had probably destroyed Sean.

She didn't know when he left, all she knew it was about 3 hours before she looked up to find him gone. She sighed and finished packing, then summoned a heavenly light and vanished.

******************************  
>"I heard about what happened."<p>

Sean turned around slowly, his eyes making any who felt their gaze shiver."How did you find me?"Sean said.

"You always go to the best bar/karaoke place in town when your down, and the Flea Bite is just that."Libby sat down beside him."So, you think she'll ever come back?"

Sean just shook his head."I don't know."He took a swig of the substance in the mug before him. He had already forgotten what he had ordered.

"So, let me guess, you're thinking back to when you lost her before?"Libby stared at him, her gaze never faltering, even when he stared her down. And trust me, when Sean stares you down, it's almost impossible to _not_ look away. But Libby didn't, and Sean eventually just sighed and returned to his drink.

"Yes. hats when I went insane. That's what drove me to become what I am. And now that I've finally found her again..."Sean stared at the barman single tear falling from his eye.

Suddenly, he jumped up and climbed to onto the stage, and began to sing, his deep baritone voice booming through the bar.

_**What Kinda Gone? By Chris Cagle**_

"_I heard the door slam,  
>and I couldn't tell,<br>was it just the wind,  
>or was she mad again?<br>ah hell.  
>She's gettin' in her car.<em>

_I hollered "Baby,  
>is there somethin' wrong?<br>Thought I heard her say,  
>somethin' sounded like, "I'm gone."<br>but these days gone can mean so many things..._

_Well, theres gone for good,  
>and there's good an' gone,<br>an' there's gone with the long before it,  
>I wish she'd been just a little more clear...<em>

_There's gone for the day  
>an' gone for the night,<br>an' gone for the rest of your dog-gone life,  
>is it Wednesday night, or just a couple beers?<br>I mean, what kind of gone we talkin' bout here?_

_Well its gettin dark out,  
>she ain't back yet,<br>ain't called home,  
>turned off the phone,<br>ah, hell...this might not be good._

_Woulda stopped her, when she went to leave,  
>but I didn't cause<br>I really didn't think what I'm thiinkin' now.  
>I'm still not sure what gone is all about...<em>

_Cause there's gone for good,  
>and there's good an' gone,<br>an' there's gone with the long before it,  
>I wish she'd been just a little more clear...<em>

_Well, theres gone for the day  
>and gone for the night, and<br>gone for the rest of your dog gone life,  
>Is it Wednesday night, or just a couple beers?<br>I mean, what kinda gone are we talkin' bout here?_

_Is it the kind of gone,  
>Where she's at her mom's,<br>coolin' down, she'll come around?  
>Or is it the kind that says "you had your chance,<br>and she ain't comin' back..."?_

_Well, there's gone for good,  
>an' there's good an' gone,<br>an' there's gone with the long before it.  
>I wish she'd been just a little more clear.<em>

_There's gone for the day,  
>an' gone for the night,<br>an' gone for the rest of your dog gone life.  
>Is it Wednesday night,<br>or just a couple beers?  
>I mean, what kinda gone are we talkin' bout...<em>

_what kinda are we talkin bout'..._

_what kinda gone are we talkin' bout heeerrrreee?_

_what kinda gone?"_

**********************************  
>As the entire bar broke into applause and even some tears, Sean jumped off the stage and resumed his seat. He remained silent, even when Libby finished her drink and left, just staring into space, wondering the same question.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6: Let the Thunder Roll.**_

_**Chapter 6: Let the Thunder Roll.**_

_The surgeon was very nervous. He had never seen these types of wounds before. It was as though the weapons had been coated with acid. The organs were beginning to melt, but, luckily, it appeared that the two would survive._

_The surgeon wiped his brow."Sponge!"he said to the nurse. She handed it to him, and he began to pat his brow."I am almost as lucky a dog as these two. "he said out loud as he began to finish up the surgery._

*********************************************************************  
>Itchy and Bess glared at the surgeon through the glass of the observation room. Sean had granted them special permission to observe the surgery.<p>

"He shouldn't be so nervous. He's a _surgeon_, for Pete's sake! Isn't he trained to do this?"Itchy nodded to Bess as they watched the surgeon leave the room, followed by the nurses who would wheel Charlie and Sasha to their room.

Itchy then nuzzled Bess."We should leave. It's getting late."Bess nodded, and together they walked through the double doors that lead to the lobby and, eventually, home.

*********************************************************************  
>Sean slammed his paw onto the table.<em><strong>"No! It can't be that easy! He hasn't won yet! We're not giving up!"<strong>_

"But, boss..."Mellower winced as Sean growled, causing thunder to rumble in the distance."Boss, we can't take much more! We're losing good dogs too quickly! We should face it, we can't win. Not yet, at least."

"No."Sean snarled."I'm going to finish this, one way or another. But for now..."Sean turned and padded out of the room, forcing Melowaur to run after him.

*********************************************************************  
>It had been one month since Charlie and Sasha had gotten out of the hospital, and both were doing quite well.<p>

Charlie woke to find Sasha asleep in the bed right next to him. He smiled, jumped down from the bed, yawned, and stretched.

He then made his way to the kitchen._ I should cook breakfast for Sasha this morning. After all, it is a __very__ special day._

As he got out the ingredients to make an average American breakfast, (which consists of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and toast...don't ask me why dogs would eat this, just enjoy the story.)he would glance at the place where he had placed the small, blue, velvet box every so often;

The smell of the breakfast woke Sasha from her deep slumber._ Who could be cooking?_ She wondered as she jumped from the bed and stretched. She walked out of the bedroom and followed the smell down the hall to the kitchen.

"Charlie?"she yelped when she opened the door.

Charlie, surprised, nevertheless kept his cool and glanced towards the door."Good morning, love." he said with a smile."I'm making breakfast this morning. Why don't you go and relax?"

Sasha was, to say the least, suspicious. Charlie rarely cooked at all, and, if he did, it was usually because something was up. Nevertheless, she choose not to press the issue, kissed Charlie on the cheek, and padded into the living room.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door."I got it!"Charlie called. He walked over to the front door and opened it to reveal a figure, cloaked in a midnight-blue hooded cloak.

"So, tell me again: You need us to go with you to Las Vegas, the center of gambling in the U.S., and fight your brother and Belladonna? Is that right?"

They were all seated around the fire in the living room. Breakfast had been eaten without a word, and just when everyone was relaxed, Sean had sprung on them.

"That is correct. I need your help in this. I don't have any other options this time. No armies, no friends in high places..."Sean said, his eyes gleaming eerily in the light of the slowly dying fire.

Charlie stared at him, then cleared his throat."May we have some time to consider it?"

"Of course! Take as long as you need. I still need to prepare, anyways."Sean stood and bowed farewell (well, ass much of a bow as a dog can do.)He began to walk towards the door, but paused just inside the doorframe, looking back. He stared Charlie straight in the eyes, and, to Charlie, it seemed as though his eyes were bottomless pits, showing no remorse...or mercy.

"The fate of Heaven and Earth lies in your paws. I hope you choose wisely." Suddenly, thunder boomed, lightning flashed, and the lights flickered out. When they flashed back on, Sean was gone, as though he hadn't even existed.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7: Let's See What I Can REALLY do.**_

Sean was packing his bags for the trip when he glanced at the bedside table. There was the one picture he had forgotten. The day when all this had started.

Sean and Brenna's wedding day.

_**Flashback**_

_Sean was sitting in front of all the guests, whom he hadn't invited, but everyone else had insisted on. Brenna was walking down the aisle, absolutely beautiful in her dress (made for a dog...)._

_Then Farren had stood up and pulled back his hood, saying, "Well, well! My little bro's gettin' married! How nice! Too bad he won't live for the honeymoon!"With that, 8 other dogs had stood up with automatic pistols, and they had opened fire_

_Brenna was the first one hit. She had staggered out the door, though, and managed to avoid being hit again. Sean had had his guards open fire, killing most of the hostile ones instantly, then had rushed outside to help Brenna...only to see her being shoved off Barren's boat into the ocean and drowning where she sank._

_**End of Flashback**_

"Sean?Sean! Are you O.K?"It was Libby. He looked up at her for a minute in confusion before realizing that he had collapsed on the floor.

"I'm fine. Remove that picture for me, would you?"he asked, pointing to the picture on the table but not even glancing at it.

Libby did so, and then waited a few moments. When it became obvious that Sean was deliberately ignoring her, she left, and Sean was once more alone with his distant memories of days gone by.

_"What?What do you mean he's alive?"Farren snarled again at the fat cat, Mr. Seroway._

_"It-it's not our fault. He-he's just too good! That was my best strike team. They have killed more dogs than anyone else, some of those dogs under heavy protection. They were killed. If they couldn't kill him, no dog can."_

_"Well, then..." Mr. Seroway saw what Farren was about to do too late. He was vaporized instantly by the fireball that Farren threw at him."You just can't get good help these days. I'll just have to deal with Sean on my !"With that, he faded away, leaving a bright red impression of himself in the air for an instant, then that, too, vanished._

*********************************************************************  
>Sean was in his place of thought, back on the mountain top overlooking the valley.<p>

In the valley, he could see little pups, some white, some black, and some a combination of the two. They were playing a game of tag, playfully growling and pouncing at each other. On the porch of the cabin were two dogs, one white, one black, each with the same pattern as Sean and Brenna.

The imaginary Brenna called out, "Kids, supper's ready! Hurry in before it gets cold!"In a flash, the pups were in the doorway, their mother right behind them. The father stood still a few moments longer, staring up at the mountain where Sean was laying, before nodding once, slightly, and turning about to follow his family inside.

"Still trying to imagine how it might have been?"Libby materialized beside Sean, laying a paw on his shoulder.

"Look, it could have not worked out! Stop yourself loathing!"Libby slapped Sean across the face once, hard, waking him from his day dream.

Sean said nothing, just melded back into the shadows from wince he had come. Libby was left confused; knowing that, for some reason, even though she had struck him, Sean had let her live...and this scared her more than anything else.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8: To Death You Depart…**_

_**Chapter 8: To Death You Depart.**_

_**Charlie and Sasha's house, 10:00 AM**_

Charlie smiled. He had the entire day planned out, from the moment they left, to dinner-time. First, a site seeing tour around the city, then a picnic. After that, they would relax for a while, and then go to a movie. After that, they would visit some old friends. After that, it was off to Sasha's favorite restaurant, The Casa de la Cane, for dinner and the big event.

"Honey, want don't we go on a walk around the town? See some of our old friends, maybe have a picnic...you know, a good day."Charlie smiled at Sasha innocently.

Sasha's earlier suspicions had vanished, but now, they returned with a vengeance. Charlie _never_ did stuff like this. Still, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and Sasha smiled back."That sounds great, Charlie! Just let me get ready..."With that, she walked off towards the bedroom.

Charlie waited until she was out of earshot, and then rushed to the phone. First, he called the restaurant and made _special_ arrangements. Then he called Itchy and told him the plan.

"Don't worry, Charlie. I'll make sure nothing goes wrong."Itchy said, and then hung up. Charlie put the phone down, rushed to the china cabinet, reached up, and grabbed the smooth velvet box from atop it, putting it in the drawer of the cabinet, where he had told Itchy it would be.

Sasha came in moments later, to find Charlie just putting the finishing touches on their picnic."Ok, Charlie, I'm ready. Let's go!"  
>*********************************************************************<em><span><strong>San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge Park, 11:30 AM<strong>_

"Let's stop here for our picnic, Charlie. After all, it's so lovely here...Charlie?"Sasha looked behind her to see Charlie, panting, collapsed on the ground behind her.

"Yeah...great place...to...stop..."Charlie gasped out. Sasha laughed.

"Charlie, you should really come for walks around the city with me more often, Great exercise."Sasha said when she and Charlie finally finished eating.

"Oh yeah?"Charlie growled playfully. He pounced at her, pinning her to the ground. Sasha laughed and wiggled free, and pounced on Charlie. This playing continued for a while, and then they both collapsed on the ground, laughing and panting.

_**Casa de la Cane, 4:30 PM.**_

"They're on their way! We should go."

Itchy and Bess had finished helping the restaurant prepare for the couple's arrival. Itchy had found Charlie's ring, exactly where he had said it would be.

"You're right, dear. Let's go!"Bess walked out, Itchy behind her.

*********************************************************************  
>Charlie held the door open for Sasha, who just couldn't think straight.<em> Charlie being a <em>_**gentlemen (err...gentlehound?)**__?whets going on?_

"Table for a Mr. Barking and guest, please."Charlie said to the waiter on duty, a large Boxer. He led them to a table, set out silverware, then looked at his notepad. He glanced up n surprise, and then whispered to Charlie for a moment. He then vanished into the bustle of the busy restaurant, and Charlie and Sasha began making small talk.

The waiter returned a few moments later, a bottle of champagne and two glasses in hand. He announced that their food would be out momentarily.

"What food? We never ordered...did we?"Sasha glanced suspiciously at Charlie, but he just winked at her, smiling broadly.

A few moments later, the waiter returned with a platter full of spaghetti and set it down at their table."Anything else, sir?"

"No, thank you. We'll be fine."Charlie said. He and Sasha ate the plate of spaghetti together, saying as little as possible to avoid an awkward moment.

Finally, Charlie couldn't stand it anymore. There, right in front of the whole restaurant, he took the ring from the seat beside him, got up, and kneeled as best he could by Sasha."Sasha...we've been going out for a long time now, and, well, I was wondering...will you marry me?"

Sasha stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, tears streaming down her face."Oh, Charlie!"she said, "Yes, I will marry you!"

The entire restaurant broke into cheers, and Charlie kissed Sasha for a long time.  
>*********************************************************************<p>

_**Charlie and Sasha's house, 9:00 pm.**_

Charlie walked in the door to the house, hitting the light switch as he hummed and danced happily. This is the only reason he didn't notice that the lights didn't come on, or that there was another dog in the room until it was too late.

The last thing Charlie saw before being slammed over the head, hard, was a picture of Sasha when the fire in the fire place erupted, lighting the entire room.

*********************************************************************  
>The large dog, looking much more like a tiger than a dog, stared down at Charlie, the dog he had been hired to <em>take care of<em>, as they said in his profession.

"Too easy. "he growled. Then, he saw the ring on Charlie's finger, and, glancing about the room, his eyes rested on a picture of Sasha. His thoughts went back to that fateful day, 6 years ago...

_**Flashback: New Orleans, 2005, The Old Abandoned Church and Cemetery.**_

_**"GET OUT! NOW! I never want to see you around here again,**__** criminal!"**_Flo III snarled at Hank (the dog having the flashback), baring her teeth, as her brother, Allen, stood by, ready to help her at a moment's notice

"But, baby, I-"his sentence was interrupted as she launched at him, biting and clawing. He just took the hits. He didn't even feel them, physically. Emotionally...now that was a whole new ballpark.

"Ok, baby, I'm gone. But can I at least get my stuff?'Cause, once I'm gone can't come back."She stood aside and let him get his box of stuff, then glared at him as he walked away slowly; his head about as low as it could get without the ground shaving his face completely off. As he reached the gate that would take her out of his life forever, he turned and looked back.

"Just remember, baby. If anyone, and I mean _**anyone**_, ever messes with you, or if you just need someone to talk to...anything, just give me a call."His speech was met by her wedding ring he had gotten her, hitting him square in the head with all the force of a pistol. He didn't even flinch, and walked out the gate, rain beginning to fall around him.

_**End of Flashback**_

_**Charlie and Sasha's house, 2011.10:00 pm.**_

Hank came back to the present quickly. Somehow, he had fallen to the floor. He glared down at Charlie, appearing to think. He knew that, if the dog wasn't dead yet, there was still a chance, but...$10 million dollars was a lot of money to give up. But still, if he didn't do something, Charlie would never survive. Sasha wasn't coming home that night, choosing to spend the first night of their engagement at a friend's house.

Then, he saw _her_ein a picture above the mantel._ But how..._he thought to himself. Then, he saw the date, and his heart almost stopped. _Flo...His girl's great grandma..._

*********************************************************************  
><em><span><strong>San Francisco's Canine General's ICU, 10:30.<strong>_

Charlie awoke to concerned voices and frantic whining. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was in a hospital bed, with friends and Sasha around him.

"Look, he's awake!"Itchy said, pointing. Charlie was quickly surrounded, being hammered with questions, hugs, kisses, and slaps on the back.

"Hey, wait a minute!"he shouted. Everything stopped instantly."Ok, whats going on here?"he said.

"Charlie, don't you remember? You were hit by a car. A guy passing by called the hospital. They said you're lucky he did. You almost met Annabelle _again_!"

Charlie frowned. Something about that didn't seem right...but he'd worry about that later. He joked and laughed with everyone for a few more minutes, and then said goodbye as the nurse rushed them out of the room.

As he slowly slipped out of consciousness, he heard pawsteps. The door opened, and a large dog stepped in."You knew _her_. You must be a very special dog, Charlie. Just hope you don't ever meet me again."

And with that, Charlie went unconscious, and the large dog vanished, Later searches and DNA testing on hairs found in the room from an unknown dog would reveal a name, a name that, according to every database in the world, was just a name. The dog that the hair belonged to...apperantly had never existed. 


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9: Yellow Ribbons and Blue Blues.**_

Ben O'Malley, a large cat made of more muscle then fat, awoke at 6:00 sharp and began dressing. _Today's the day! _he thought excitedly.

_Today's the day I get out of this hell of an army._

*********************************************************************  
>The guards, who guarded the gate, saluted him as he walked past. He returned the gesture, then strode towards the bus. As he strode toward the bus, Ben began to hum, and as he hummed, a few of the others on the bus recognized what he was singing. One of them, a large tabby, got out a guitar and began playing for him, and Ben let out his downtown-BrooklynCountry accent in song, and the bus pulled away and headed for a little house near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

_**Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ol' Oak Tree, by Tony Orlando and Dawn**_

"_I'm coming home,  
>I've done my time,<br>Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine,  
>If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free,<br>Then you'll know just what to do,  
>If you still want me,<br>If you still want me._

_M'hea, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree,  
>It's been three long years,<br>Do ya still want me?  
>If I don't see a ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree,<br>I'll get on the bus,  
>Forget about us,<br>Put the blame on me.  
>If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree.<em>

_Bus driver, please look for me,  
>'cause I could not bear to see what I might see,<br>In my heart, I'm still in prison,_

_And my love, she holds the key,  
>a simple yellow ribbon what I need to set me free,<br>I wrote and told her "Please..."_

_Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree,  
>it's been 3 long years,<br>Do you still want me?  
>If I don't see a ribbon 'round the ol' oak tree,<br>I'll stay on the bus,  
>Forget about us,<br>Put the blame on me!  
>If I don't see a letter 'round the ol' oak tree,<em>"

The bus pulled over the lip of a hill to expose vast farm land, with a large oak tree sitting in the middle of plowed fields, tall, strong, and ancient. and...

_Now the whole damn bus is cheerin',  
>And I can't believe I see...<em>

_A hundred yellow ribbons 'round the ol' oak treeee!..._"

Ben stepped off the bus and onto the old dirt path as he old jail mates called out to him for luck and such and the driver nodded to him in a friendly way. He inhaled the fresh country air that he a smelled since he was a child. He began padding down the path, taking in the familiar smells of his ancestral home. He was content.

He remained that way, even when he was attacked by 7 large furballs, tackled to the ground, and pinned. He started laughing."Hey, kids!"he said, hugging them tightly.

"Hey, Daddy!"they said, they're accents pure country, quite contrary to Ben's several different ones.

"Hey there, stranger." said a feminine voice laced with country. The lean she-cat walked out from the trees, her black-on-green fur having hidden her from view.

"Hello yourself, Minnila, I'm sorry about what happened, but look, I-"He was interrupted by her kissing him, full on the lips.

"I'm just glad your back. Now then, let's get to work. After all, you had it easy there in the army. Now it's back to farm work!"

A few months went by without incident. Then, one morning, while Ben was out in the fields, working, he heard something.

_No...It can't be...They…He...He __**DIED!**_ But, even as he thought the words, he knew it was true. He walked over to the old oak tree, clawed his way up, and soon reached a low branch, which he used to jump to the next one, barely hitting it.

Gradually, muscle memory kicked in, and Ben was moving quickly, reaching the hole near the top of the tree easily.

Yes, it was true. There was no doubt now. It was his old walkie talkie, hidden up here for the fateful day when it would be used once more.

Ben reached in and grabbed it, then pressed the 'talk' button, hoping that he was wrong."Sean? Was that you?"

For a few minutes, it looked like he _had_ been wrong, and he was about to put the walkie talkie back when it crackled to life.

"Yes, Ben, it is me. You ready to get the gang back together?"

Ben thought for a moment, reaching back into the hole in the tree and pulling out an old black-and-white picture of 13 dogs in soldier's uniforms, standing in front of what appeared to be a Sherman tank. As Ben studied the photo, the walkie talkie crackled back to life."Hey, Fat Cat! This is Big Daddy! You still there? Over"

His and Sean's old codenames...He smiled."Roger that, Big Daddy. You got a Fat Cat a-comin' your way. Over."

Sean smiled."Roger. Over and out." he then started on the other members of the team, so deep into hiding that it was almost impossible to find them...but he had the walkie talkie. He knew they would answer.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10: A Team Once More (Aka On the Road Again.)**_

The bar was smoky, old, and bloody. It was also quiet and uncrowded. So, when a figure cloaked in black came in and sat in a quiet, dark corner, no one was suspicious. Even when 12 more black-cloaked figures went back to sit with him, no one did anything but serve them drinks and such.

So, when the figures removed their hoods, no one paid them much attention. There was a large, old-looking German Shepherd called Big Al, a red-eyed Siberian Husky whose eyes turned blue when he got mad, code named Mad Mike, a strange looking cat that could be identified as a panther, code named Black cat, Ben, aka Fat Cat, Sean, aka Big Daddy, a _very_ large, kind looking female Pomeranian code named Big Mama, a mean-looking pit bull with scars crisscrossing his face, code named Old Man, a boxer, High-Hittin' Mike, a bloodhound with fur of a dusty red color and a country accent,Ol' Red,2 Dobermans, twins, called the Trigger-Happy Twins, a very large snake, code named City Slicker, and, finally, a very strange-looking Lab. He had thick glasses, a headset, a laptop carrier, and, oddly enough, a pair of sunglasses. Code name: Rookie.

"It's great to see the team back together. It's been awhile..."said Big Al, taking a swig of his drink. He glanced around the bar room, looking for anything...suspicious.

"Too bad we couldn't get the others..."said Ben nervously. He wondered if the others had forgotten he was their friend in the past few years.

"Well, I did get them. But I gave them their instructions already. All we have to do is get there. Jim and Leroy will get the job done...or die trying." he finished. They all sat in silence, remembering having this lesson pounded, slapped, starved, burned, humiliated, pained, and thrown into them as painstakingly as possible.

"So, sugah .how we gonna get dis done? I mean, wha's the plan?"Big Momma asked, her thick country drawl bringing back happy memories to all. Rookie opened his laptop case and pulled out a laptop (what else?).He hit a few buttons and clicked a few times, then turned the screen to show a 3-D image of Las Vegas. He then hit another button, and lines, all in different colors, appeared on the screen,

After studying the map for a while, Mad Mike leaned back and smiled."I like this plan." he said, not even trying to hide his smile.

Sean hesitated before knocking on Charlie door. He had just gotten back from the hospital, and there was no way to know how he was doing.

But the door opened all the same, and a very surprised looking Charlie came out."Sean? What are you-?"

"Have you thought about what I asked? Are you coming?"Sean said, interrupting Charlie.

"Yes, we are."Said a chorus of voices from the room. Sean looked behind Charlie to see several dogs he didn't know, along with Sasha, Itchy, and the rest of the gang.

Sean smile."Are you ready as of right now?"he asked. When they all responded yes, his smile widened."Let's go then." and he led the way  
>downstairs to the vehicles that would take them to Las Vegas.<p>

_"So, brother, you've made your move. No matter." Farren smiled and walked over to the game table. He watched as several black dog-shaped pieces moved from San Francisco towards various spots in North America. But the largest was headed straight towards Las Vegas, Nevada._

_Farren grinned. __**Nice try, brother, but I can do things even better. **__Red demon figurines started appearing on the map, moving to intercept the black ones._

_Farren then turned and went to prepare his forces._

Jim was still the _biggest_ dog Sean had ever seen...or maybe smallest horse. It was _really_ hard to tell.

Jim stood about chest height to you average male human, and had the strength to match. He was about as strong as your average tank, and had the brains to match. He could follow fairly basic orders for now, but, every time he gained muscle, he lost the equivalent in brain power.

Leroy, however, was the exact opposite. He was more than your average con-dog. He was smarter than your average human, but had to rely on others for strength, though he did carry a knife, just in case.

Together, these two ran the most efficient division of Sean's army, other than Sean's own team. And here they were, for the first time in 20 years, right in front of Sean's face, and yet they joked with him like old pals.

"You guys ready to have some fun?"Sean asked, as casually as if he were asking the weather report from someone.

"Yessir." said Leroy, making a mock salute .After being 'dismissed', and leaving, Sean turned to Ben."Let's go. We have work to do."

_**New Base Camp, Somewhere Outside Las Vegas.12:00 Midnight**_  
>Sean was sitting and staring at the moon. He had been unable to sleep for many reasons. Suddenly, he made a decision. He stood and padded out of camp, leaving no trace behind him.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11: What Happens in Vegas…**_

_**"What are you doing?"**_

Sean glanced up from the Craps table, where he had been about to shoot the dice."Hey, sis!"He said, smiling, as Libby walked over.

It was obvious that Sean had been gambling...and drinking. There was a huge German Shepherd out cold on the floor beside him, and the entire place was cheering him on. There were several empty glasses around the table, and Sean had a cigar in his jaw.

_**"What were you thinking?"**_Libby yelled, and she slapped him. As soon as she did it, she knew it was a mistake, and she began to step towards the door.

Sean glared at her, rubbing the red paw-mark on his cheek. Thunder boomed, lightning flashed, and rain began to spatter against the casino. Fire blazed in Sean's eyes as he glared at Libby. The lights seemed to flicker, but, strangely, Sean did not attack her. He went back to his game as the room seemed to empty out as dogs ran home.

Libby knew she couldn't do anything else. She ran out of the place, scared for her life...for the first time ever.

****************************************************************************************

_Brenna sighed. She had been watching Sean, checking in on him every now and then. She knew he was going down the toilet, but what could she do? She was an __**archangel**__; she couldn't have a relationship with an Angel of Death, even if he was a dog."Damn you, Sean…"_

_She sighed again, and turned back to receive the next person to enter Heaven. It would take a while, but, eventually, she'd forget it. She had before, and she could again. She turned around and looked to the next dog to come to the gates._

_"Hello." she said pleasantly._

Sean was miserable. He was also drunk. Actually, that seemed to suit him. He was already at the blackjack table. He was winning, but he knew it wouldn't last.

_**Heaven. Annabelle's desk.9:30 PM**_

_Annabelle continued to watch as Sean got even drunker. When, finally, he seemed ready to leave, she was angered by his non-chalance as he staggered up to a female waitress, about to go off duty, and ask her for help getting back._

_The two staggered off into the night, and Annabelle cut the connection. She couldn't bear to watch anymore. Suddenly, she felt something blunt smash into her skull. As the room faded into blackness, she caught a glimpse of two dogs, Farren and Belladonna, standing over her, smiling evilly._

Sean awoke to find a female dog asleep beside him. _Dang, what happened last night? _He could remember the dream about Annabelle, but...

He woke the female, asked her if she wanted any breakfast (After all, it's only polite.), and, after that, he walked her back into town, shadow-shifting back as soon as possible.

"Good morning, all. Today is the day we hit Farren, hard, right on his home turf."He pulled out a map of Las Vegas, with several markings on it.

"Ok, here are most of Farren's weapons facilities, warehouses, and his seat of power is here."With each word, he stabbed a claw at marks on the map.

We'll split into teams. Charlie, you and your group are with me. The rest of you know the drill. Jim and Leroy are already inside the city, so we'll move fast. Any questions?"

No one had any, and so dogs from the entire group began to pick up weapons. Sean led Charlie, Sasha, and the rest to the back of the weapons trailer, where he began handing out daggers and such.

"Are we going to survive this, Sean? You seem kind of worried."Charlie said suddenly. The entire room stopped and strained their ears to hear his reply.

"Charlie, all I can say is do your best not to die. You should be fine...I think."And with that, work resumed around them, as dogs tried to appear confident, though, on the inside, they were shocked and worried.

_**Farren's Throne, Location Unknown, 12:00 noon.**_

_"Well, seems that my brother is on his way."Farren turned to Annabelle, who was tied up in a corner near his throne. He laughed evilly."Seems he doesn't know that we have you here. Oh well, he'll know soon enough._

_"You'll never get away with this, Farren. Sean isn't stupid. He'll save me."Annabelle spat at Farren, snarling viciously, but he only laughed._

_"Soon, Annabelle, My brother will be __**dead**__, so I suggest you shut it."_  
>****************************************************************************************<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12: Battle For the Las Vegas Hotel.**_

Sean glared at the building in front of him. The building, having once been a popular human hotel, was now abandoned...or, at least, it had been. Now, it seemed, the forces of evil had made themselves right at home within the once five-star hotel.

Sean knew that Farren was planning something. Even though he did not know what it was, he was determined to set those plans back for at least a few days.

He glanced back to see Charlie behind him. The others were set up around the hotel, keeping watch for any guards.

"Let's go. We don't have much time until..."He let the sentence trail off, unfinished. Charlie nodded, and the attack began.

_The demon rushed through the old corridors, knocking over anything that stood in his way. He did, of course, knock before entering Farren's throne room. You always knocked, no matter what. After all, there were worse things than death..._

_"Sir, sir! We're under attack!"The demon screeched out. Farren looked at him and laughed._

_"Just as I thought. Pull back all our forces. Let no one but my brother enter this room, though. You know the consequences..."Farren's eyes glowed red for just an instant, but that was more than enough for the demon. He nodded, once, and bolted from the room, leaving Farren to prepare for his brother's "visit"._

Sean led the charge. Several dogs converged behind him, some with swords, some with axes, and some with pipes or whatever they could find. But they all seemed to turn to shadow as they ran, leaving only the top half of their bodies recognizable, only that marked them as dogs.

They crashed into the building, seeming to pass straight through the walls, only to be forced back.

Sean swung his swords at three demons that blocked his way. He appeared calm, but on the inside, his rage smoldered. He carved a path through the demons easily, only to find that path closed once again when he turned around. He prepared to charge when suddenly...

"Sean? Is that you? He-!"Brenna's voice cut through the air around Sean, making him turn back. He walked down the hall, knowing exactly where to go.

Sean threw the door open, his face no longer calm, but snarling, in such a rage that it seemed he didn't care what happened to him.

He glanced around before entering the room. He saw nothing of importance at first, then he realized that Brenna was tied up in the corner of the room.

He rushed over to her, only to be thrown against the wall halfway across the room. He got up, shook his head, and glanced around, drawing his swords from their scabbards.

"Well, well. I never thought that you'd figure it out, brother. I must say I'm impressed. Although, now, I'll have to destroy you, seeing as you leave me no choice."Farren seemed to appear from nowhere, his swords already out, and his malicious smile, ever present, plastered on his face.

"I'd like to see you try. You see, brother, you can't beat me. You went too far this time, so you can never win this. I'll make sure of that."Sean launched himself at Farren, slashing down with his swords.

Farren rolled away, only to be hit by Sean's second blade as it came down in a sideways strike. The blade cut deep, but Farren only smiled and laughed.

"Is that the best you got? Our _granny _could do better!" "I doubt it. She's dead."Sean jumped into the air, avoiding Farren as he launched a slashing attack at him. Sean then rolled, jumping up to right himself before charging back at Farren, transforming as he did, becoming more shadow than dog.

Farren charged to meet Sean, igniting into flame as he ran. He became a blazing comet, streaking towards a shadow of death.

Charlie had spotted Sasha in the mob of demons and dogs, and was gradually making his way to her.

Finally, one last slash at a demon that blocked his path brought him to the main group of dogs. Sean's teams had formed a protective circle around a small medical "camp."Of course, not all the dogs had been found yet, but, as of then, none were thought to be dead.

Charlie passed through the circle of dogs, finding that his friends had already gotten there safely."How are we doing?"Charlie asked grimly.

"Not good. We've lost Sean. He's not dead, we're sure of that, but we're worried..."Sasha said sadly, letting the sentence trail off.

"I know. Don't worry; we've got everything worked out."Charlie said. He then glanced back at the building. _Sean, I hope you have a plan._

The battle for the hotel was not going well. Sean's forces were slowly being pushed back. As of now, they were defending an old building that had apparently been apartments before.

"We can't take much more of this! Let's hope-"Libby's shout was cut off by the sound of distant baying. All the fighting stopped as both dogs and demons turned to see angels charging towards the battle, weapons in paw.

Sean was thrown back against the wall once more, and once more managed to rise, though barely. He glared at Farren, his sides heaving as blood trickled out from wounds all over his body.

"How much more can you take?"Farren side, laughing evilly as threw another fireball at Sean, who barely managed to dodge it."How much longer can you hope to survive? Face it, _brother_, your no match for me!"Farren laughed.

Sean suddenly began laughing. He laughed so hard that he fell over!"You seem to think that my being here was just to defeat you, brother. You might want to check your position again!"

Farren's expression began to change, from confusion, to suspicion, to horror."No, you couldn't have-you didn't! It's not possible! No!"He rushed to the table where the board had been set up. Since he had seen it last, it had changed drastically.

First of all, most of the board had changed from demon red to the shadow black of the dog statutes that sat upon them. Second of all was that there were whiter dog statues on the board then there had been.

Farren snarled in rage, then whirled on Sean."You! _**You TRICKED me!**_"He seemed to be about to charge across the room to kill Sean, but then thought better of it.

"You've won this time brother, but I'll be back. And next time, you won't be so lucky."With that, Farren seemed to collapse in on himself, vanishing from sight.

"It's finally over."Brenna said as Sean ran over and began to untie her.

"It's not over. He'll be back. And next time, he'll be a lot stronger. We should get out of here." he added once he had finished untying the ropes.'

"We still can't hold out much longer, guys. Even with the heavenly reinforcements..."Libby let the sentence trail off.

They were all seated in the command post, set up behind the battlefront. The meeting had been going on for a while. They needed to decide what to do before every dog out there was dead.

Suddenly, the sounds of battle stopped, and a dog rushed into the command post, smiling and laughing."They're gone! We won! It's over!"

"What?"Libby asked before pushing past the dog in a rush to get out. Everyone else followed suit.

It was true. All the demons had vanished. The battle was over!

_**Chapter 13: Wedding Day (Aka, Goodbyes).**_

Charlie was nervous. He had been pacing back and forth for the past five minutes. _Is this a mistake? Did she chicken out? Is she ok?_

Suddenly, the back doors of the church burst open, and the wedding tune began to play.

Sasha walked down the aisle in the normal white wedding dress. Except, of course, it wasn't normal

The dress glowed with both heavenly light and shadow, combining for a stunning effect.

The rest of the ceremony proceeded swimmingly, and Charlie rushed out of the building, happy to finally be able to say that he had changed, and had finally given up his old life in New Orleans.

The newlywed couple vanished into the night, and, to this day, I can honestly say that I have no idea where they are.

_"I hope you understand, Sean. I told you, or at least I tried. But you refused to listen."Brenna said. They were sitting on the cliff side, once more looking out onto the valley where, once, they might have had a wonderful life._

_"I __**don't**__ understand! How could they do this to us? No, forget it. I know how the game works."Sean hung his head in defeat._

_"Sean, you know it would never work. An archangel? And a Deathound? It goes against nature itself! Its better this way...a clean break, a fresh start. It'll be better if...if you and I never saw each other again."_

_Sean stared at her for a long time, looking deep into her eyes before sighing deeply."If this is our last night together, then let's enjoy it."Suddenly..._

_**Flashback**_

_**Dusty cabin, Somewhere in Mexico's Baja Desert.1842.**_

_**Seven Spanish Angels, Willy Nelson.**___

_He looked down into her brown eyes,  
>Said "Say a prayer for me."<br>She threw her paws around him,  
>whispered "God'll keep us free."<em>

_They could hear the riders comin'  
>He said "This is my last fight.<br>If they take me back to Texas, they won't take me back alive."_

A dog, looking exactly like Farren, walks outside, guns at the ready.

"Farren, don't go!"calls out the voice of his love.

_And there were seven Spanish angels,  
>At the Altar of the Sun.<br>They were praying for the lovers,  
>In the Valley of the Gun.<br>When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared,  
>there was thunder from the throne,<br>and seven Spanish angels,  
>took another angel home.<em>

_She reached down and picked the gun up,  
>That lay smokin' in his hand.<br>She said "God, oh please forgive me,  
>I can't make it without my (Dog) man."<br>And she knew the gun was empty,  
>And she knew she could not win.<br>But her final prayer was answered,  
>when the rifles fired again.<em>

_There were seven Spanish angels,  
>At the Altar of the Sun.<br>They were praying for the lovers,  
>In the Valley of the Gun.<br>When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared,  
>there was thunder from the throne,<br>and seven Spanish angels,  
>took another angel home.<em>

_There were seven Spanish angels,  
>At the Altar of the Sun.<br>They were praying for the lovers,  
>In the Valley of the Gun.<br>When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared,  
>there was thunder from the throne,<br>and seven Spanish angels,  
>took another angel home.<em>

_There were seven Spanish angels,  
>At the Altar of the Sun.<br>They were praying for the lovers,  
>In the Valley of the Gun.<br>When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared,  
>there was thunder from the throne,<br>and seven Spanish angels,  
>took another angel home.<em>

_There were seven Spanish angels,  
>At the Altar of the Sun.<br>They were praying for the lovers,  
>In the Valley of the Gun.<br>When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared,  
>there was thunder from the throne,<br>and seven Spanish angels,  
>took another angel home.<em>

_The two dogs stared at each other for another moment."You see? My family..."Sean let the sentence trail off, one of the millions of sentences left to the darkness, never to be finished._

_"Is that what happened to Farren?"Brenna asked her voice full of disbelief_.  
><em><br>"Yes. And something very similar to another of my brothers. As with all of them."Sean said, then he turned away, staring down at the cabin in which his former__ future continued, a future where, had everything gone as planned, he would still be __happy__."I could have saved you. I could have at least tried...but I didn't. I couldn't. And now, we're here."_

_"Sean..."Brenna's voice was filled with warning...and something else, something Sean couldn't identify._

_"You know what happens next."Sean turned back to Brenna, his eyes filled with rage."One of us dies. And this time..."He let it go, knowing that he couldn't finish the sentence even if he tried. Because, if he was killed, he wouldn't go to Heaven. He would just vanish. Or so he thought. He had no idea. He hadn't died twice before._

_**A/N There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, dogs and dogettes, and animals of all kinds! That's the end of this story. Thanks for reading and, as usual, please review!**_


End file.
